Improvement in the construction of traveling-trunks



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

JOHN FITZGIBBON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRAVELiNG-TRUNKS.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 2,319, dated October 1l, 1841.

To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

- Beit known that I, JOHN FITZGIBBON, of the city of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in the Manner of Constructing` Traveling-'lrunks and oiherArticles of a- Similar Character, by which they are rendered more secure from any attempt to open them by pick-locks or talse keys than such as have been heretofore made; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof.

I so construct my trunks as that it is not possible to discover by their appearance when closed which isA their hinged and which their locked side, the hinges being so pnt on as to be entirely concealed on the exterior, and the key-holes being covered by brass or other knobs screwed over them, such screwed knobs apparently only forming a part of a series of the brassh eaded or other knobs, nails, or fastenings intended to ornament and strengthen the trunk.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l shows the general appearance of one of my trunks, with the top or lid opened; and Fig. 2 is a section through the hinged part thereof at the back.

I usually employ t-wo locks, which may be aliixed on the front or at the two ends near to the front. The locks which I prefer are those constructed with double spring-catches, which lay hold on the two sides ot the staples or notched pieces a a, attached to the lid, and are well known as German locks; but locks of other forms may be adapted to these trunks. The key-holes are made in brass escutcheons i) ZJ, which have screws cut upon their edges, and these are to be covered by a cap, which, when screwed on, presents precisely the same appearance as that presented by the brass or other knobs c c c.

The band d d d, which forms the ledge that surroundsthe lid, is made of a strip of sheet or of hoop iron or other rigid material, covered on both sides with leather or other suitable substance, and this when the lid is closed covers the opening` between said lid and the lower part of the trunk. To this metallic or rigid strip the straps e e of the hinge are riveted, the straps ff being attached to the upper edge of the lowerpart of the trunk. When the lid is closed, the knuckles or joints of the hinges are completely concealed by the band (Z d, which, from its rigidity, cannot be raised by the fingers.

The straps g g and the buckles h h are made perfectly alike on the back and front of the trunk, as are all the other parts seen externally.

Having thus fully described the nature of my invention, and shown the manner in which the same is carried into operation, what I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The construction of trunks and other articles of a similar character, with their front and back sides rendered alike in appearance by covering the key-holes with screwed knobs resembling the rows of knobs used to ornament and strengthen such articles, and by making the strip which forms the cover of the opening between the lid and the lower part of the trunk ot hoop-iron or other rigid substance, covered with leather or other suitable material, and by riveting the back straps of the hinges to said strip forming the ledge, and by otherwise arranging and combining the respective parts in t-he manner set forth, these parts being claimed onlyY in combination with each other, so as to attain the end which is the object of. this invention.

JOHN FITZGIBBON. Witnesses:

JOHN BURNS, RoBT. H. GILLIN. 

